Honoring Two as Giants In Our City
Tonight the Salt Lake Chamber and the business community at large will honor the two most recent recipients of the most prestigious award given in our state: the Giant In Our City.
In recent years we've honored Spencer Eccles, Mitt Romney, Don Cash, Nick Rose, President Gordon B. Hinckley, Jon M. Huntsman, James Sorenson and Bill Nelson. Earlier this year we lost Larry H. Miller who was named a Giant In Our City just two years ago. While many members of the elite group will be in attendance tonight, we will certainly miss Larry who we remember for his success as a businessman, his commitment to our community and his love for our state.
Tonight, our honorees are Roger Boyer and Ellis Ivory. The two are former business partners, life-long friends and, because they married sisters, bothers-in-law. It is fitting that they each receive this distinct honor on the same night.
Utahns have come together for decades, living, playing, shopping and working in attractive settings built by Roger Boyer. He develops much more than just commercial property, he builds a sense of community. Simply put: Roger Boyer builds business in Utah.
Tall in stature, quiet and gentle in demeanor, Roger has dramatically altered landscapes throughout the state and beyond. As chairman of The Boyer Company, he established one of the largest developers of commercial real estate in the Intermountain region and continues to expand throughout the United States. In all, the Boyer Company has developed over 24 million square feet of commercial projects over nearly four decades.
The descendent of Mormon pioneers, Roger has a deep-rooted love for Utah. With legacy projects including One Utah Center and The Gateway to his credit, he has improved and beautified the landscape of our state.
His greatest accomplishments are found beyond buildings and board rooms. He has provided service to many organizations, improving life for Utahns. Above all, Roger is a man of faith and family. He and his wife Sara have eight children and enjoy spending time with their many grandchildren.
Thousands of Utahns are proud to call a house built by Ivory Homes, their home. A passionate and accomplished businessman, Ellis Ivory is dedicated to family, faith and community. Balance in the many facets of his life has been the key to his success and happiness.
For more than four decades, Ellis has played a significant role in developing communities that are the strength of our state. As founder of Ivory Homes, he directed Utah's leading residential land developer through periods of growth and decline, adapting along the way. When market conditions favored the addition of home construction to the Ivory business plan, the company grew to be Utah's number one home builder-a title it has held for over two decades.
Ellis believes in giving back to the community. A former Chair of the Deseret News Board, he has also served as Chair of the This is the Place Heritage Park for the past three years. Under his leadership, annual park attendance has quadrupled.
Through the years, Ellis has balanced business, family and faith, with remarkable success. There have been challenges along the way but with persistence overcame every obstacle, answered the call to serve and proved to be an extraordinary leader.
For their outstanding professional achievements and superior, dedicated service to the people of Utah, the Salt Lake Chamber is proud to name Roger Boyer and Ellis Ivory A Giant In Our City.
